Picturehouses Toddler Time: exclusive short screenings for pre-school children and their parents and carers. Today: Q Pootle 5 Programme 10 (U): join the stars of the hit CBeebies show as Q Pootle 5, Oopsy, Eddi, Stella, Ray, Groobie, Bud-D and Planet Dave tackle the everyday problems of the final frontier on the wonderful planet Okidoki. With friendship at the heart of the series, Q Pootle 5 and his friends find fun and adventure wherever they go. Created by best-selling children’s author and illustrator Nick Butterworth. 11am Monday 18th April, Cameo, Home Street. Tickets cost £3 per child, accompanying adult free.
Tiger Tales: a new weekly story and craft session for ages 4-8. 3.30pm 20th April and then every Wednesday, Oxgangs Library, 343 Oxgangs Road North. All welcome!
New Town Community Cinema: in the current season’s finale this afternoon’s Alternative Kids Classics Programme film is The Goonies (PG). The screening will take place in the main hall of the Glasite Meeting House, under the spectacular Georgian glass cupola; guests will sit on the padded pews (but feel free to bring additional cushions). 2.30pm (doors open 2pm, when refreshments will be available), Friday 22nd April, Glasite Meeting House, 33 Barony Street. Tickets may be purchased via eventbrite here and are also available on the door (sta). The Glasite Meeting House is run by Scottish Historic Buildings Trust: all profits from the running of the cinema go towards saving Scottish historic buildings and giving them a future use in the community.
Shakespeare’s Legacy: a special Shakespeare storytelling session to celebrate the bard’s 400th birthday, with themed craft activities, a play writing workshop for children – and Shakespearean cake! 11am, Saturday 23rd April, The Bothy, Far From The Madding Crowd, 20 High Street, Linlithgow.
Magic Carpet Weekenders: monthly special weekend story activity sessions – come and explore different objects on the Magic Carpet. For under 5s and their adult helpers – please note that at there must be at least one adult per two children. 11-11.25am, Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th April, National Museum of Scotland (sign up and meet at the Green Fountain, Grand Gallery, Level 1), Chambers Street. Free (places limited).
Family Beltane: a bright and beautiful Beltane celebration providing a lovely introduction for children over 5 years of age to all of the skills and traditions that are employed during the creative preparations behind the annual night time celebration of the Beltane Fire Festival. Children (who must be accompanied by their adults) can come together and explore through the media of storytelling, face-painting and arts and crafts the changing of the seasons which leads to the birth of summer. 1.30-4.30pm (drop-in), Saturday 23rd April, Storytelling Court, Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street. Free.; donations to the organisers, Beltane Fire Society (a registered charity), welcome.
French Family Saturdays: Mes petits pliages. Who said a piece of paper was boring? At this all-in-French origami workshop children will discover the joy of folding paper – animals or flowers, a piece of paper always hides a creative side. Unveil yours ! Drawings, stories and a goûter will also be part of this Family Saturday. 1-3pm, Saturday 23rd April, Institut Français d’Ecosse, 13 Randolph Crescent. Tickets £7 (members £4) per child, accompanying parent free. Children under 7 must be accompanied. Sessions are limited to a maximum of 20 children, so advance booking is highly recommended: email info@ifecosse.org.uk or call 0131 225 53 66.
Oxford Playhouse: Bed Time. It’s bed time, but it’s not quite time to go to sleep… Celebrating the routines and loving nonsense of this very special time of day, with songs, storytelling, humour, lots of silliness and maybe a pillow fight, put on your PJs and come join in just before it’s time to switch off the light and say goodnight. This show is specially created for very young audiences; it reflects and celebrates the daily routines that bind us together. For ages 2-6. 11am or 2pm (50 minute sessions), Saturday 23rd April, The Brunton, Bridge Street, Musselburgh. Tickets £7.50 or £28 for a family of 4 from the Box Office (0131 665 2240) or via The Hub here (administration fee applies). A Porty Events production.
Bug Walk: come and join a Bug Walk and find out about the insects and other wildlife that can be found in the grassland meadow being managed in the Botanic Garden. 11am-12.30pm Saturday 23rd April, Real Life Science Studio, Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, Inverleith Row. Booking is essential: please email l.alexander@rbge.ac.uk. With Buglife, the Scottish Inverterbrate Charity Trust.
Filmhouse Junior: films for a younger audience. This week: Howl’s Moving Castle (U): in a land of witches, wizards and war, Sophie is a young milliner befriended by Howl the wizard. The jealous Witch of the Waste loves Howl, and puts a spell on Sophie, turning her into an old lady. Sophie runs away so her friends can’t see the transformation and ends up working as a cleaning woman in Howl’s Moving Castle, the remarkable, magical contraption that walks the land. 11am, Sunday 24th April, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets cost £4 per person, big or small.
Pond Life: Pond Dipping. Discover what lives in the wonderful pond in the Japanese Garden at Lauriston – record what you have found in a special little book like a scientist, then create your very own wooden sailing boat to sail in the pond. With Mike Durnan. 10.30am-12.30pm, Sunday 24th April, Lauriston Castle, 2a Cramond Road South. £4 per person: advance booking is essential and must be made via the Usher Hall Box Office, Lothian Road, in person, by calling 0131 228 1155 or online here. Please note that these sessions are intended for families working together: children cannot be booked into events alone; at least one paying adult must accompany them.
Musselburgh Racecourse Totepool Family Day Featuring The Shetland Pony Derby. This colourful and exciting family day has something for everyone, from great racing to free entertainment for the children, including a birds of prey display, bouncy castles, kids’ roundabout, two large fairground rides and exciting games such as hook-a-duck and coconut shy plus more.
The Shetland Pony Derby which will take place one hour before the first race; the beautiful ponies will be in the parade ring from 12.40pm so be sure to make your way to the ring in good time. 11.30am (doors open), Sunday 24th April, Musselburgh Racecourse, Linkfield Road, Musselburgh. Tickets may be purchased here. Children aged 17 and under are admitted free with a paying adult.
